GARDENS CAN RENEW YOUR SPIRIT.

Byline: JANE GATES Gardening

It's that holiday time of the year, and for many people, the garden becomes just one more demand on the list of priorities.

If you feel that way, take a moment.

Yes, this is a good time for planting last-minute winter annual flowers, perennials, winter vegetables, and most experts like it for California natives. Yes, it's a great month for pruning shrubs and trees as they head into dormancy. Yes, there is an ever-increasing pile of crisp brown foliage and dead flower heads demanding your attention before pests decide to move in as a winter home.

But unless you are one of the lucky ones who isn't feeling overwhelmed by all the demands of the season, you can shift your attention away from all those obligations.

Gardens need to be considered and designed for the health and welfare of the gardener as well as his family, friends and pets. You need to make sure you have a spot in your garden so you can escape all the other ``stuff'' that can pile up in your life.

December can often offer comfortable afternoons cool enough to enjoy the Santa Clarita sunshine. Take out a stool if you haven't already designed an area to sit. Bring a frivolous book. Have a pet join you. Try a pair of binoculars or a magnifying glass. Or maybe bring nothing at all. And schedule in a 30-minute break in your day.

Enjoy the fruits of your labors and the gifts of nature. It can refresh you like an extra good night's sleep and set you back to work with a new and more energetic view on the chores that await. If you take care of yourself, work will seem easier. And taking care of yourself is the best investment you can make. Remember, you can never replace yourself! As we move into winter, here's a little advice for those of you who have succumbed to the spell of water gardens.

The temperature of water is getting ever cooler, and fish are snoozing ever deeper at night to stay warmer. This also means they need less food as they are less active. It is a good idea to give them ``winter'' food once the temperature of the water falls below 60 degrees.

Fish will not only eat less (so if you overfeed them you are only adding material to rot in the water), but they find it harder to digest as their metabolism slows down. Once the water temperature dips below 50 degrees, it's best to stop feeding them altogether. Nature tends to provide outdoor pond fish enough winter food without any supplementation.

Many water plants will go dormant, so pulling dead and dying leaves will help avoid too much mulch building up on the bottom of a pond as the organics break down. If you have water hyacinth or water lettuce floating in your pond, be warned these plants are not frost hardy and will turn to mush unless seriously protected in the winters of Santa Clarita.

Water lilies, irises, cattails and lotus are generally very hardy and will need no special care for the winter.

Even if your pond isn't in lush growth, it has the message of quiet winter serenity to share. Water features can help calm holiday nerves. Once again, let nature remind us to enjoy our gardens. And like the seasons, take a little time to rest and renew.